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Thursday, September 24, 2015

Just a quick update for anyone checking on the blog about the bluebells flowering in Roland's Wood - here are a few photos from today to show you what's happening - they are a bit later this year but well underway now...

Here's a link to a post I did a couple of years ago in case of interest about bluebells.

When I went today the Parua Bay Garden Club were visiting the Woods and enjoying a guided tour with John Horrell.

One of my favourite trees in the Woods is the crab apple right by the entrance - it is a cloud of pink and white blossom at the moment, and humming with bees - every little cluster of flowers had a bee crawling over it...

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Earlier this year Kevin and I had a short but rewarding holiday in Melbourne and we absolutely loved the city for many and various reasons, including its libraries (the State Library of Victoria is wonderful, and the new Docklands library too) and its trees...

Melbourne has a LOT to recommend it - a city full of handsome buildings with parks and gardens around every corner, free
trams in the CBD, brilliant restaurants in Chinatown, little Italy and
the Greek precinct, shopping and night markets. Other highlights for us
included the Ian Potter Centre of Australian art, the Shrine of
Remembrance, the Botanical gardens, the Immigration museum and Kevin also went to the MCG and Sports Museum where he took
a (virtual) 4 runs off a Shane Warne over!

Look out for shops full of macarons of every flavour and hue, Kay
Craddock Antiquarian Bookseller with a shop full of books and owls
(customers buy books and bring owls to add to the collection), the
delicatessen at Queen Victoria Markets with gorgeous bread, olives,
salami, coffee, chocolate and more, and then there's the trees...

The
elms are the oldest in the world now since Dutch Elm disease decimated
the northern hemisphere, plus sycamore, oaks, plane trees, gum, pines,
palms. Check out the Urban Forest Visual where each of the city’s 70,000 trees has been mapped with a description of its genus, age and condition – now there’s a city that values its foliage.

Wouldn't it be great to have a map like this for Roland's Wood?

As you scroll down you can read about the steps Melbourne city is taking to increase diversity and reduce risks, which is EXACTLY the same thing that John Horrell is talking about for Roland's Wood.

From the Urban Forest website :

Increasing diversity

A lack of species diversity leaves the urban forest vulnerable to
threats from pests, disease, and stress due to climate change. Currently
our urban forest is dominated by eucalypts, planes, elms and gums
(corymbias). Many of these trees were planted at the same time during
condensed periods of planting activity, and large numbers of elms and
planes are now reaching the end of their useful life expectancy.

37% of planes have a life expectancy of less than 10 years.

50% of elms have a life expectancy of less than 10 years.

Reducing Risk

Combined with the substantial losses associated with an ageing
tree population, myrtle rust and sycamore lace bug are current threats
to the Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Platanus genera. Diversification is a
basic rule for reducing risk. A greater range of species will provide
greater resilience and long-term stability for the forest as a whole.

Anyway, I'd say if you are looking for a place in Australia to visit for a holiday, go to Melbourne! It is often voted as one of the world’s most liveable cities,
and is a Unesco City of Literature too – leaves on branches, leaves in
books...

Monday, September 7, 2015

It was lovely to meet Sophie, a little Schnauzer, full of bounce and joie de vivre - she comes to the Woods most days with Christine who is looking after her at the moment.

It was practically impossible to get a photo of this little ball of energy who ran and scampered and investigated here and there, tail wagging all the time - such a happy and busy little dog, most photos were a blur, but here are few in case her owner who is overseas at the moment has a chance to see his canine friend having a great time and being so well looked after...

And doing what dogs love doing at Roland's Wood - finding a friend to run, chase and play with...

Hello again, poor neglected Roland's Wood blog! Are there any readers still out there?

It has been months since I posted but I've been getting a few enquiries from Whangarei and Kaitaia about where things are at with the bluebells and so I'm back here to refresh the blog and add a quick bluebell update for "out of towners" who might be thinking of visiting.

I went along to the Woods today, about 5ish so just the end of the sunlight before it went down over the hill, and here are a few photos - the bluebells are definitely starting, clumps of flowers here and there, but not quite the blue haze yet - probably another week or so...

Still in flower are some bright golden daffodils, as well as a variety of magnolia - pale pink, deep magenta, soft creamy lemon, vivid rhododendrons are going strong, and the cinereria are flowering too - purple, pink, violet, white.

Contact

If you have any questions, suggestions, or would like to contribute photos or content to this blog, please contact me on jeannie.skinner@dia.govt.nzThanks, Jeannie

Roland's Legacy

Roland's Wood is a four hectare piece of "English beech woodland", with a Northland twist, on Inlet Road, Kerikeri, generously bequeathed to the people - and dogs - of Kerikeri by Roland Sansom.

"Roland Sansom's incredible generosity and foresight will give future generations of strollers, dog walkers, bird watchers, gardeners and dendrologists much to be grateful for. Without realizing it Roland Sansom was a dedicated dendrologist; his Wood will be his lasting memorial." Gordon Collier

November - all the spring leaves are out now, renga renga lilies are a picture, and forest pansy with its handsome bronze foliage.

December sees the summery agapanthus and the astilbes flowering.

Summer - January to MarchCome for a shady walk under a canopy of green leaves

Autumn - April to JuneEnjoy the autumn colours of the deciduous trees - maples, beeches, birches, tupeloes and oaks... and sasanqua camellias are flowering too.

Winter - July and AugustThe early bulbs start flowering in July and August - jonquils, daffodils, winter cheer, and there are flowers on the rhododendrons, magnolias, and camellia japonica... The swathes of orange and red clivia start flowering at the end of August too.

Welcome to this blog

I have created this blog to celebrate Roland's Wood and all the people who are working so hard to make it a place for the community - and their dogs - to come and enjoy.

I enjoy the woods all year round, there is always something to notice and appreciate, but I am absolutely entranced by the bluebells each September, a blue haze stretching across the hilltop, taking me back to woodland walks - complete with dog, during my childhood in Surrey and Sussex.

I visited John and Judy Horrell's garden, led there by some out-of-town friends who are enthusiastic gardeners, and after admiring the gorgeous garden the Horrells have created, conversation turned to Roland's Wood. John Horrell is there most days, planting, pruning and planning, and he has a vision for making Roland's Wood all that it can be.

Thank you Roland, and to all the others, especially John Horrell, who are helping Roland's Wood flourish.